University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


in  (morado 


PICKET       / 

626    MARKET/S7 


TftfCAffSOH  -  fiA  ffffff  CO.  £NS 


L. 


With  Nature  in 
Colorado 


A  brief  resume  of 
the  grandeur  of  the 
IVocky  Mountain  Region 


PUBLISHED  BY 
THE  PASSENGER  DEPT. 

OF  TNI 

DENVER  &RIOGRANDER.R 


E.  T.  JEFFERY 

PRESIDENT 

A.  S.  HUGHES  S.  K.  HOOPER 

TRAFFIC   MANAGER  GEN'C   PASS.  AOCNT 

DENVER,  COLORADO 


Royal 
Gorge 


J.  G.  METCALFE 


O  him  who  in  the  love  of  nature  holds 

Communion  with   her  visible  forms,  she  speaks 
Jl  various  language. 

—  Thanalopsis 


Mount  of  the 
Holy  Cross 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


Curecanti 
Needle 


COPYRIGHTED    1901 

BY  S.  K.    HOOPER,  GEN-L    PASSENGER  AGENT 
DENVER  &  Rio  GRANDE  RAILROAD 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


Crest  of  the 
Range 


A  Land  of  Infinite  Variety 

/TURE  has  been  most  generous  in  her  gifts 
to  Colorado,  and,  with  more  than  the  magic  of 
the  ancient  alchemist,  has  wrought  wonders  in 
behalf  of  her  favorite  child.  There  is  nothing 
hackneyed,  nothing  common-place  in  the 
experiences  of  a  visitor  to  Colorado.  In  spring 
and  summer  the  traveler  sees  the  dry  and 
gravel-covered  plains  bloom  out  with  luxuriant 
verdure,  a  miracle  as  wonderful  in  seeming  as  the 
budding  of  Tannhauser's  pilgrim-staff,  and  the  cause  of 
this  phenomenon  of  the  plains — irrigation — is  itself  novel 
and  interesting. 

And  while  the  plains  are  decked  with  the  verdure 
of  spring  or  the  blossoms  of  summer,  the  higher  peaks  of 
the  mountains  are  covered  with  eternal  snow  and  a  cool 
breeze  sweeps  down  from  those  celestial  summits  as 
grateful  to  the  traveler  as  a  draught  of  snow-cooled 
sherbet  in  a  desert  land. 

But  the  fall  and  winter  are  not  less  delightful.  The 
climate  of  Colorado  is  of  that  sub-acid  character  which 
appeals  to  the  jaded  spirits  and  serves  as  a  tonic  to  the 
weary  nerves.  There  is  nothing  gloomy  about  the  weather. 
There  are  no  skies  of  lead,  few  days  that  are  dark  and 


Nature's 
gifts  to 
Colorado 


Delightful 
climate 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


dreary,  and  when  occasionally  such  a  day  does  come, 

it    is  so   rare   as  to  excite  wondering  comment,  and   is 

gone  before  it  has  had  a  chance  to  get  onto  one's  nerves. 

Sunshiny    As  a  matter  of  statistics  it  may  be  well  to  say  that  out  of 

days    tne  265  days  in  a  year  Colorado  has  340  days  of  sunshine, 

wholly    or    in    part.       And    there    seldom    exists    any 

cause  for  a  tourist  to  complain  that  his  view  has  been 

cut  off  by  darkling  skies  or  his  trip   made  unpleasant 

by   unpropitious   weather.      The   sunshine   of  Colorado 


Wagon 

Wheel 

Gap 


Enjoyment   carries  with  it  a  cheerfulness  of  spirit  that  is  splendidly 
and  health    conducive  to  hearty  enjoyment  and,  in  addition  to  that, 
bears    in    its    bright    embrace    that    health-giving    elixir 
which  heals  otherwise  irremediable  ills. 

Trite  has  become  the  advice  that  one  should  "go 
to  Colorado  for  health,  wealth  and  pleasure,"  and,  assuredly, 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


Wealth  in 
the  moan* 
tains  and 
plains 


Eagle 
River 


it  is  more  than  half  true,  for  one  cannot  fail  to  secure 
health  and  pleasure  from  a  sojourn  in  this  favored  region, 
and,  as  for  wealth,  there  is  plenty  of  it  locked  up  in 
the  hills  or  within  the  soil  of  the  fertile  plains.  As 
to  securing  this  wealth,  that  all  depends  on  the  indi- 
vidual, just  as  it  does  everywhere. 

But  to   the   one  who  seeks  health  and   pleasure   in 
Colorado  the  result  cannot  fail  to  be  gratifying.      Espec- 
ially healing  is  the   climate    to  those   who  suffer  from 
diseased  lungs.     Years  of  observation    on  the    part   of 
medical   scientists  have   established  the  fact  that  there 
is  no  climate  in  the  world  better  adapted  to  the  absolute 
cure  of  consumption  than  that  of  this  sun-bathed  plateau.    ,,       ,fi 
The  climate  is  an  absolute  specific  and  no  case  that  is  co'nsumptio 
taken  in  time  will  fail 
to  yield  to  the  health- 
restoring    influences  of 
this  oxygenated  air  and 
these  bright  and  bracing 
days. 

New  surroundings 
keep  the  mind  pleas- 
antly excited,  novel 
experiences  divert  from 
too  much  introspection, 
high  altitude  sets  the 
blood  to  coursing  freely, 
and  the  invalid  who, 
quite  despondent 
and  almost  despairing, 
seeking  for  health  will 
find  it  with  Nature  in 
Colorado. 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


In  Perry 
Park 


Suggestions  of  Scenic  Delights 

RRIVING  at  Denver,  the  capital  of  Colorado 
and  the  largest  city  in  the  State,  the  traveler 
in  search  of  the  beautiful,  the  picturesque  and 
the  novel,  although  in  the  midst  of  metro- 
politan surroundings,  with  all  the  luxuries  and 
the  artificialities  of  the  highest  modern  civili- 
zation, finds  himself  also  in  the  immediate 
presence  of  Nature.  Art  may  environ  the 
visitor  on  every  side.  Architecture  may  pile  its  many- 
storied  edifices  to  right  and  left,  but  Nature  cannot  thus 
^e  masked  and  hidden.  One  glance  upward  and  westward 
Nature  brings  to  the  enraptured  vision  that  mighty  procession 
of  giant  peaks,  marching  from  north  to  south  as  far  as 
the  eye  can  reach,  which  forms  the  Front  Range  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains. 

This  grand  parade  of  mountains,  thus  revealed  from 
such  a  point  of  view,  can  never  fail  to  make  a  most 
profound  and  most  lasting  impression.  It  is,  indeed, 
unparalleled  in  unique  beauty,  and,  like  the  thrilling 


M\dsthof 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


prelude  to  sonic  immortal  aria  compose  d  In   the  world's 
greatest  musician,  forms  a  fitting  introduction,  a  splendid  The 
suggestion  of  the  delights,  the  grandeurs  and  the  glories 
which  await  one  who  sojourns,  though  but  lor  a  brief 
s<  .i-on,  with  Nature  in  Colorado. 


Pike's  Peak 
from 
Colorado 
Springs 


Fortunately  for  the  traveler  whose  anticipations  of 
enjoyment  have  been  so  aroused,  the  opportunities  for 
beholding  the  indescribable  wonders  of  the  mountains 
have  been  so  improved  that  what  formerly  required 
months  can  now  be  accomplished  in  days,  and  thus  the 
horizon  of  pleasure  has  been  enlarged  and  the  hardships  scenery 
of  a  tour  among  the  mountains  eliminated  and  all  the 
luxuries  and  conveniences  of  modern  travel  substituted. 

The  Denver  \  Rio  Grande  Railroad,  which  from  its 
enterprise  and  push  has  been  aptly  termed  the  "  Pioneer 
Line,"  and  which  has  now  earned  for  itself  the  broader 
characterization  of  "The  Scenic  Line  of  the  World," 
has  scaled  the  clitfs,  penetrated  the  canons,  climbed  the 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


mountains,  leaped  the  rivers  and  traversed  the  valleys 
of  Colorado  so  completely  that  there  is  scarcely  any 
scene  of  grandeur  so  hidden  by  Nature  that  it  has 
not  been  brought  plainly  and  easily  into  view. 

Thus   the  traveler,  with    no   fear   of    hardships,  but 
Better  than  with  every  assurance  of  speed,  safety,  comfort  and  luxury, 

the  scenery  finds  himself  in  Denver  at  the  threshold  of  experiences 

of  the  Old      i  •   i  •  r  i  j  i 

World  which  promise  more  of   novelty,  more  of  grandeur  and 

more  of  really  valuable  knowledge  than  could  be  secured 
by  a  journey  across  the  sea  preparatory  to  an  invasion  of 
the  trite,  tame  and  time-worn  tracts  of  tourist  travel 
offered  by  the  Old  World. 


Ouray 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


Collegiate 
Range 


A  Mighty  Maze,  but  Not  Without 
a  Plan" 

TH  a  map  of  "The  Scenic  Line"  spread  out 
before  him,  the  traveler,  ready  to  commence 
his  journey  from  Denver,  glances  eagerly 
along  the  widely  radiating  lines  of  red  and 
black  which  mark  the  courses  of  this  marvel- 
ous railroad  and  reads  the  names  of  world- 
famed  scenic  wonders  so  lavishly  distributed 
to  north  and  south  and  west  that  the  embar- 
rassment of  riches  becomes  a  burden  and  the  question 
"where  to  go  first?"  grows  into  formidable  proportions. 
In  such  a  case  the  easiest  way  is  the  best,  and  the 
easiest  way  is  to  consult  some  one  of  the  courteous  agents 
of  the  railroad  company,  who  will  soon  make  it 
apparent  that,  although  the  map  appears  to  be  "a  mighty 
maze,"  'tis  "not  without  a  plan." 


Consult  t/n 
map  as  to 
where  to  gt 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


For  example  :  if  one  desires  to  visit  Colorado  Springs 
and  Manitou>  the  San  Luis  Valley,  via  La  Veta  Pass, 
behold  Toltec  Gorge,  pass  through  Durango,  penetrate 
Las  Animas  Canon,  enter  Baker's  Park,  cross  the  mountains 


Manitou 


from  Silverton  to  Ouray  over  the  famous  Toll  Road,  or 

through  the  beautiful  San  Juan  via  the  Rio  Grande  South- 

ThwUltell  ern'  tnrougn  weird  Lost  Canon,  the  wonderful  Ophir  Loop 

you  about  it  under  the  shadow  of  the  majestic  Mt.  Sneffles,  and  gaze 

upon  the  marvels  of  the  Black  Canon,  Curecanti  Needle, 

Marshall  Pass  and  Royal  Gorge, — if  such  a  trip  is  desired, 

it  is  expressed  by  the  agent  in  a  single  phrase,  "Take  the 

Trip  Around  the  Circle." 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


'3 


In  a  general  way  one  may  consider  the  southwestern 
part  of  Colorado  as  forming  the  famous  "San  Juan," 

a    great    expanse    of    mountains,   hills,    valleys,    upland  The  silver 
i  i     r  TT  11-1  i  San  Juan 

meadows    and    forests.     Here    gold,  silver,  coal,  copper 

and  iron  mines  abound,  some  of  them  the  richest  and 
most  productive  in  the  world.  Agriculture  flourishes 
in  the  valleys,  the  hills  are  populous  with  game,  the 
streams  are  alive  with  trout,  and  the  forests  furnish  timber 
of  excellent  quality  and  inexhaustible  quantity. 

Nowhere  else  in  the  old  or  new  world  can  there  be 
found  grander  or  more  varied  scenery.  The  canons, 
passes,  vales  and  parks  afford  endless  combinations  of 
beauty  and  magnificence,  appealing  to  every  emotion 
of  the  soul  and  sweeping  the  entire  diapason  of  human 
thought. 

From  Durango,  which  is  the  metropolis  of  the  San 
Juan,  the  Rio  Grande  Southern  Railroad  extends  to  the 
westward  into  the  hitherto  almost  inaccessible  region  of  Rio  Grande 
the  Cliff  Dwellers  and  then  circling  to  the  northward  con-  Southern 
nects  with  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  line  at  Ridgway. 
This  comparatively  recent  extension  of  this  marvelous 
railroad  has  added   largely  to  the  list  of  attractions  in 


Chipeta 
Falls 


14  WITH      NATURE      IN       COLORADO 

the  way  of  scenic  and  historic  interest,  to  say  nothing 
Wonder  of  its  commercial  value. 

Among  these  wonder  places  may  be  briefly  mentioned 
the    Cliff    Dwellings,    already   referred  to ;    Lost   Canon 


Marshall 
Pass 


and   Dolores  Canon,  both   possessing  points   of  interest 

peculiarly  their  own;   Trout   Lake,  a  beautiful  expanse 

of  water  filled  with  trout,  and  a  great  resort  for  sportsmen; 

Ophir  Loop,  a  marvel  of  railroad  engineering;  and  many 

Jl  marvel  of  other  interesting  features,  each  worthy  of  extended  descrip- 

engineering  t[on  ancj  aj|  forming  a  constellation  of  star  attractions  which 

cannot  fail  to  appeal  strongly  to  the  mind  and  impress 

deeply  the  memory  of  the  one  who  is  fortunate  enough 

to  behold  them. 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


In  like    manner    is    simplified    the    intricacies    of   a 
journey  westward  over  the  continental  range  to  Leadville, 
Glenwood  Springs,  Grand  Junction,  which  includes  such 
splendid  scenery  as  that  afforded  by  the  Royal  Gorge,  Points  of 
Mt.  Massive,  Eagle  River  Canon,  the  Canon  of  the  Grand  ' 
River,  and  return  to  the  place  of  starting,  through  the  Black 
Canon  of"  the  Gunnison,  Marshall  Pass  and  the  Grand 
Canon  of  the  Arkansas,  which  the  agent  would  tersely 
describe  as  the  "  Short  Circle." 

It  would  require  an  expert  accountant  to  so  balance 
the  credits  to  be  entered  in  favor  of  each  of  these  journeys 
as  to  decide  which  one  possessed  the  greater  sum  of  inter- 
est.    The  better  way  to  do  would  be  to  take  both  journeys  The  better 
and  thus  lay  up  such  a  store  of  delightful  memories  that  a  " 
long  life  of  retrospection 
could  never  stale  their 
infinite    variety.     But 
these  two  grand  tours  do 
not  byany  means 
exhaust  the  resources  of 
novelty  and  knowledge 
commanded  by  the  mar- 
velous   railroad    which 
makes  them  accessible. 
There  are  many  mat- 
ters yet  to  be  considered; 
among  them  a  visit  to 
the  famous  gold  mines 
of  Cripple  Creek,  where 
millions  of  dollars  in  pre- 
cious ore  are  taken  every 
month    from    the    sur- 
rounding hills  and  where 


Tolt 
Gorj 


i6 


WITH   NATURE   IN   COLORADO 


Cliff 
Dwellings 


extinct  romances  of  sudden  riches  are  the  every-day  topics  of  dis- 
race  cussion.  Then  down  in  the  southern  extreme  of  Colorado, 
beyond  Durango,  a  radiating  line  penetrates  the  mysterious 
region  of  the  Cliff  Dwellers,  where  the  ruins  of  their  highly 
advanced  but  hopelessly  lost  civilization  may  be  seen  in 
the  canon-hollows  of  the  Mesa  Verde. 

And,  again,  there  is  more  of  meritorious  moment 
to  be  considered,  for,  reached  by  still  another  radiating 
route,  are  to  be  seen  the  characteristic  homes  of  the 
The  Pueblo  Indians,  the  makers  of  wonderful  pottery  and 
t^ie  heirs  to  a  mysteri°us  religion  handed  down  from 
a  remote  and  unknown  ancestry. 

And   down   in   this  southern  land,  remote   from  the 
whirl  and  worry  of  the  workaday  world,  the  remnants 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


of    the    red    aborigines,  who    once    held    savage    sway  The  red 
over  all  this  territory,  now  dwell   in  the   ancient  tribal  aborigines 
manner  upon  a  reservation  granted  them  by  the  general 
government. 

From  this  brief  glance  upon  the  map  and  from  a 
short  conversation  with  some  obliging  agent   of    "  The 
Scenic    Line "    the    traveler,    pausing   for    a    temporary  The 
period  of  rest  in  Denver,  gathers  some  idea  of  what  vast  "fflcenic 
scope  and  vague,  what  scenic  magnificence,  what  historic  magnificence 
interests,  what  tremendous  contrasts,  what  heights,  what 
depths,  what  vision-taxing  expanses  of  mountain,  plain 
and  valley  are  awaiting  the  attention  of  him  who  would 
commune  with  Nature  in  Colorado. 


iS 


WITH   NATURE   IN   COLORADO 


La  Veta 
Mountain 


Health  and 

pleasure 

resorts 


Indian 
Pueblo 


Colorado  "Fountains  of  Youth" 

IS  itinerary  arranged,  the  traveler  leaves  Denver 
southward-bound,  comfortably  ensconced  in  a 
Pullman  or  a  chair  car,  as  choice  or  regard  of 
expense  may  dictate,  and  a  season  of  unalloyed 
pleasure  is  assured.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to 
say  that  every  mile  of  progress  brings  some- 
thing novel,  interesting  or  transcendently  beau- 
tiful into  view,  and  that  his  journey  is  a 
crescendo  of  delightful  experiences. 
Should  health  be  a  desideratum,  it  can  be  found 

at  the  delightful  resorts  near  Colorado   Springs,  in  the 

mineral    waters    of    Manitou    or    the 

hot  springs  of   Glenwood.      Around 

these    springs     are     clustered     hotels 

unsurpassed     in     elegancies     and 


WITH   NATURE   IN   COLORADO 


Ig 


comforts,  and,  in  the 
season,  the  hostelries 
are  gay  with  merry 
companies  of  pleas- 
ure-seekers enjoying 
to  the  utmost  the 
charm  of  their  delight- 
ful surroundings  and 
gathering  strength  and  vigor  with  each  day. 

Manitou  has  been  the  chief  health  resort  of  Colorado  Manitou 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and,  before  that,  was  famed 
among  the  Indians  as  "Great  Medicine  Waters."  That 
this  fame  rested  upon  assured  experience  has  been  demon- 
strated by  results  not  only  marvelous  in  character  but 
frequently  and  continuously  repeated. 

While  the  mineral  springs  of  Manitou  undoubtedly 
pour  forth  waters  of    magic   medicinal    properties,  the 
air    of    Manitou    and    the    adjacent    beautiful    city    of 
Colorado  Springs,  is  exhilarating  and  health-giving  and 
the  scenery  surrounding  these  charming  places  is  varied  Charming 
and  novel.     Thus  there  is  a  combination  of    qualities p 
which  render  them  among  the  most  attractive  of  health 
resorts. 

Closely  adjacent  are  scenic  beauties  of   world-wide 
celebrity.     Among  these  are  the  famous  Garden  of  the 
Gods,  Pike's   Peak    with   its   interesting  cog-wheel    rail-  The 
road  to  the  summit,  Cave  of  the  Winds,  Rainbow  Falls,  croad 
Grand  Caverns,  Balanced  Rock,  and   Cheyenne  Canon 
with  its  remarkable  Seven   Falls.     This  mention  is  an 
injustice    because  it  is  inadequate   to  describe,  but  the 
glories  of  the  Garden  of  the  Gods  alone  would  require 
more  space  than  is  allotted  for  this  book. 


Hotel 
Colorado 
Glenwood 
Springs 


zo       WITH   NATURE   IN   COLORADO 

The  mind  should  be  employed  in  the  work  of  health- 

Health  building  as  well  as  the  body,  and  the  mind  is  kept  con- 

building  stantly  alert  and  is  supplied  with  ever-varying  and  always 

pleasing  themes  of  thought  by  the  grand,  the  novel,  the 


Trout    Lake 


graceful  and  the  grotesque  forms  of  Nature's  handiwork 
which  abound  in  and  around  the  Pike's  Peak  region. 

In  another  way,  unique  and  original,  Glenwood  Springs 
can  claim  quite  as  much  admiration  and  attention.  Shut 
in  by  Alpine  hills,  margined  by  a  river  of  wonderful  pic- 
Glenwood  turesqueness,  and  supplied  with  hot  springs  of  established 
Springs  healing  properties,  Glenwood  has  received  the  attention 
of  capitalists  and  possesses  one  of  the  largest  bathing  pools 
in  the  world,  a  bath-house  of  splendid  and  luxurious  equip- 
ment, and  a  hotel  unrivaled  in  excellence  of  service  and 
perfection  of  architecture. 

Those   who    love    Nature    will    find    themselves    in 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


closest    companionship    with    her    in    the    mountainous 
environment    of     Glenwood.      "The    forests    primeval, 
the  murmuring  pines  and  the  hemlocks"  darkle  along  Mountain 
the   broad  expanses  of   the  encroaching  hills,  but  their  J 
somber  stateliness   is   lightened   by  the   bright  vivacity 
and  vigorous  verdure  of  the  aspens  stirred  into  hilari- 
ous dancing  by  the   gentlest  of    zephyrs   and  rippling 
into  a  foam  of  foliage   when  the  white  surfaces  of  the 
leaves  are  turned  upward  into  view  by  strong  breezes. 
For  the  angler,  the  trout  sport  in  the  ripples  of  the 
river,  and  for  the   hunter  big  game  roam    among   the 
valleys  and  the  foothills.      Flowers  of  graceful  forms,  U)Ud  flowers 
brilliant  colors  and  delicate  perfume  are  to  be  found  in 
lavish  abundance,  and  the  visitor  to  Glenwood  Springs  can 
earnestly  say  with  Cy.  Warman,  one  of  Colorado's  poets  : 

"God  was  good  to  make  the  mountains, 

The  valleys  a^d  the  hills, 
Put  the  rose  upon  the  cactus 
And  the  ripple  in  the  rills." 

At  Glenwood    Springs 
one    can    combine    health- 
seeking  and   the    fullest 
enjoyment    of   Nature's 
charms.       Delicate    invalids 
can  take  the  hot  baths  under 
direction    of    competent 
physicians    in    the    palatial 
bath    house,    and    those    of 
more  ro- 
bust con- 
d  i  t  i  o  n 
can  enjoy 


Canon 
of  the 
Grand 
River 


Nature's 
charms 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


a  plunge  in  the  swimming  pool  at  any  season  of  the  year, 
the  waters  being  maintained  at  a  maximum  temperature 
of  90  degrees. 

Many  Colorado  Springs,  Manitou  and  Glenwood  are  the 
l€ springs  best  known  health  resorts  of  Colorado,  because  of  their 
being  easy  of  access  and  situated  on  the  main  line  of  the 
Denver  &  Rio  Grande  Railroad,  but  there  are  many  other 
thermal  springs  on  this  line  which  have  gained  renown 
for  their  curative  properties.  Those  at  Wagon  Wheel 
Gap  are  especially  noted,  being  situated  amidst  scenery 
of  unsurpassed  beauty  and  in  close  contiguity  to  one 
of  the  best  trout  streams  of  the  State.  Pagosa  Springs, 
which  have  long  been  noted  for  their  wonderful  curative 
properties  are  destined  to  rank  with  those  at  Glenwood 
and  Manitou.  As  the  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  completed 
its  line  of  railroad  into  that  point  last  fall  and  it 
is  now  so  easily  accessible  capitalists  have  become 
interested.  Other  improvements  in  the  shape  of  modern 
hotels  and  bath-houses  are  being  planned.  No  longer 

Pagosa  dependent  upon  the  stage  coach,  Pagosa  now  takes  its 
Springs     . r  -111-11,"  /-'  t- -    o 

place  as  it  should  with  the  first  resorts  of  the  State. 

It  would  be  an  injustice  to  pass  without  mention  the 
many  other  health  resorts;  although  space  forbids  extended 
descriptions  here,  the  same  will  be  .found  in  other  pub- 


Lake 

San  Cristoval 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


lications  of  the  Rio  Grande   Road.     Among  these  are 
Canon  City,  with  hot  springs  and  excellent  hotels;  Valley 
View  Hot  Springs,  near  Villa  Grove;  Ojo  Caliente,  near 
Barranca;  Trimble  Springs,  near  Durango;  Cebolla  Hot  More 
Springs;  Waunita  Hot  Springs;   Poncha   Springs,   near   ' 
Salida;  Buena  Vista  Hot  Springs;  Mt.  Princeton  Hot 
Springs;  Soda  Springs,  near  Leadville;  and  Steamboat 


Mount    Abrams 

and 

Toll  Road 


Springs,  distant  from  Wol- 
cott,  on  the  main  line 
miles  by  stage,  but  the  most 
extensive  group  of  hot 
springs  in  the  world,  num- 
bering one  hundred  and 
fifty  and  varying  in  tem- 
perature from  almost  freez- 
ing cold  to  i  50  degrees  Fahrenheit. 

Ponce  de  Leon  never  reached  Colorado  in  his  search   The  fountain 
for  the  fabled  "  Fountain  of  Youth,"  but  certainly  this  of  youth 
favorite  of  Nature  comes  nearer  possessing  such  a  boon 
than  any  other  place  in  the  world. 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


Loop 
Ophir 


Scenes  too 
grand 

for  language 
to  describe 


Masterpieces    in    Nature's    Picture 

Gallery. 

IKE  a  necklace  of  golden  beads,  with  here  and 
there  a  diamond  of  purest  ray  and  most  daz- 
zling splendor,  the  scenic  beauties  of  Colorado 
lie  upon  her  breast.  The  royal  ermine  of 
imperial  and  eternal  snow  rests  on  the  shoul- 
ders of  her  mountains.  These  comparisons 
may  sound  exaggerated  to  those  unfamiliar 
with  the  facts  and  may  appear  an  unwarranted 
employment  of  poetic  license,  but  such  is  not  the  case. 
There  are  some  emotions  too  profound  for  adequate 

expression  in 
words,  and  there 
are  some  scenes 
too  grand  for  lan- 
guage to  describe. 
The  traveler  in 
Colorado  cannot 
fail  to  experience 
some  emotions, 
excited  by  be- 
holding the  trans- 
cendent grandeur 
of  such  scenes. 
Even  the  artist 
whose  work  ap- 
peals directly  to 
the  eye,  can  never 
hope  to  convey  to 
one  unfamiliar 


WITH      NATURE     IN      COLORADO 


with  the  scene  a  tithe  of  the  sublimity,  the  glory  and  the  The  artist 

grandeur  of  one  of  Colorado's  least  famous  canons,  to  say  faiis  to   . 

•  •  i  1-1  r    i       T-»         i  convey  the 

nothing  about  an  attempt  to  depict  those  of  the  Royal  idea 
Gorge,  Black  Canon  of  the  Gunnison,  the  Rio  de  Las 
Animas  or  the  Canon  of   the  Grand  River. 


Sultan 
Mountain 


But  the  memory  of  one  who  has  beheld  these  trans- 
cendently  beautiful  scenes  becomes  a  picture  gallery  whose    Mature's 
walls  are  decorated  with  views  from  nature  which  surpass    picture  gallery 
the   most   finished   product  of  artistic  skill  and  genius. 
These  pictures  would  be  almost  infinite  in  number  and  of 
such  variety  that  interest  would  never  flag  in  recalling 
them  to  view,  just  as  interest  never  flagged  when  they 
were  first  beheld. 


26 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


The  Canon  Among  them  would  be  the  Canon  of  the  Grand  River, 
Grand  River  through  which  one  passes  on  the  main  line  of  the  Denver  & 
Rio  Grande  road  just  before  reaching  Glenwood  Springs. 
For  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles  the  towering  walls  of  the 
canon  rise  on  each  side,  confining  the  river  and  the  track 
within  narrow  limits  and  rising  at  times  to  the  stupendous 
height  of  nearly  half  a  mile  of  perpendicular  ascent.  The 
stratification  of  the  walls  is  plainly  marked,  a  characteristic 
not  present  in  many  of  the  famous  canons  of  Colorado, 
and,  in  addition  to  the  wonderful  variety  of  shape  assumed 
by  the  rock  formations,  their  colors  are  quite  as  wonder- 
fully varied.  Brilliant  tints  of  red  and  yellow,  of  maroon, 
lavender,  pink  and  amber  make  the  walls  a  constant  study 
and  lend  a  delightful  variety  to  the  scene.  The  over- 
whelming grandeur  of  this  gigantic  specimen  of  Nature's 

Nature's  architecture  is  softened  and  beautified  by  these  chromatic 
Architecture  .  ,    ,         ~  ,        J  ,     ,      r   , 

ornamentations,  and  the  effect  upon  the  mind  of  the  spec- 
tator is  that  of  mingled  delight  and  awe. 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


Turning  from  this  picture,  a  sharp  and  strong  contrast 
is  found  in  that  of  the  Black  Canon  of  the  Gunnison.   Black  Canon 
This  tremendous  chasm  through  the  mountains  is  the 
passage  way  of  the  Gunnison  River  and  is  followed  for 


New   Line 
over 

La  Veta 
Pass 


fourteen  miles  by  that  line  of  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande 

road  which  connects  Salida  with  Grand  Junction  and 

traverses  the  central  part  of  Colorado  from  its  eastern  to 

its  western  border.     Here  the  lack  of  brilliant  color  gives 

a  gloomy  grandeur  to  the  scene,  while  the  presence  of  that 

majestic  sky-piercing  pinnacle  known  as  Curecanti  Needle 

and  of  the  lovely  Chipeta  Falls  adds  an  element  of  varied 

interest  which  banishes  all  monotony.     As  in  the  Canon 

of  the  Grand  River,  the  rock  walls  rise  to  a  tremendous   The  Rocks 

height,  the  skyline  being  frequently  more  than  two  thou-  tremendous 

sand  feet  above  the  eyes  of  the  observer.       It  is  difficult  height 

to    grasp    understandingly    the    vast    proportions    thus 

briefly  noted,  but  some  idea  of  them  may  be  gathered 

when  it  is  suggested  that  this  rocky  wall  towers  upward 

to  a  distance  equal  to  that  of  the  street  frontage  of  four 

city  blocks. 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


Saltair 
Beach 


Take  a  bath 

in  the  Great 

Salt  Lake 


The 
Royal  Gorge 


And  still  another  picture  of  abysmal  heights  and 
depths  is  held  in  memory.  It  is  that  of  the  Canon  of 
the  Animas.  En  route  from  Durango  to  Silverton  the 
traveler  beholds  this  marvelous  chasm,  which  has  been 
made  the  water-course  of  what  the  Spaniards  called  the 
"Rio  de  las  Animas  Perdidas,"  or  "River  of  Lost  Souls." 

But  grandest  of  all  the  masterpieces  of  Nature  whose 
pictures  ornament  the  walls  of  memory's  art  gallery  is 
that  of  the  Grand  Canon  of  the  Arkansas  and  its  crown- 
ing glory,  the  Royal  Gorge.  Easiest  of  access  among 
all  the  canons  of  Colorado,  being  situated  on  the  main 
line  of  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  between  Canon  City 
and  Salida  in  the  Front  Range  of  the  Rockies,  it  is  the 
most  spectacular,  awe-inspiring  and  magnificent.  Down 
this  mighty  cleft  in  the  heart  of  the  granite  rock-barrier 
rush  the  raging  waters  of  the  Arkansas  River,  lashed  into- 
foaming  fury  and  dashed  into  spuming  spray  by  its  swift 
descent  through  the  tortuous  defile.  So  narrow  is  the 
passage  at  one  point  that  there  was  no  room  for  both 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


road    and   river,   and   therefore   a  curiously  constructed 
bridge   of   steel    had   to  be   thrown   lengthwise   of   the 

stream,  suspended  from  iron  supports  mortised  into  the  Jhe 

11  1-1  1-1  i    i    r  i    famous 

canon  walls  on  each  side  to  the  right  and   left.     And  hanging 

right  here  can  be  seen  the  climax  of  all  the  great  canon's  bridge 
grandeur,  that  which  has  been  aptly  called  "  The  Royal 
Gorge."  For  two  thousand  six  hundred  feet  the  solid 
monoliths  soar  upward,  —  five  times  as  lofty  as  the 
Washington  monument,  the  highest  permanent  structure 
reared  by  the  hand  of  man.  No  words  can  adequately 
describe  the  magnificence  of  the  scene.  Only  those 
who  have  beheld  its  glories  can  appreciate  them. 

There  are  many  more  wonders  which  have  not  been 
mentioned,  and  there  are  numerous  canons  which  have 
not  been  referred  to ;  enough  has  been  said,  however,  for 
all  description  is  inadequate  and  only  those  who  see  can 
know. 

The  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  being  a  part  of  a  great 
through  trans-continental  line,  the  journey  continues 
on  via  the  Rio  Grande  Western  to  Salt  Lake  City  and 
Ogden  and  thence  to  the  Pacific  coast. 


Temple  and 
Tabernacle 


You  can 
stop  over  at 
Salt  Lake 
City 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


Indian 
Tepees 


Big  Game  in  Nature's  Preserves 


N   the   preceding  pages    we    have    endeavored 
to   epitomize    the    attractions    which    Nature 
presents  to  the  traveler  in  Colorado,  so  far  as 
scenery,  climate    and    health   advantages  are 
concerned,  and  having  suggested  the  matters 
of  interest  to  be  found  there  by  the  students 
of  geology,  history  and  anthropology,  there 
remains  a  word  to  say  concerning  the  remarka- 
ble natural  game  preserves  in  the  northwestern  part  of 
the   State. 

Routt    County,  of    which    the    town    of    Steamboat 

Springs  is  the  county-seat,  and  Garfield  and  Rio  Blanca 

counties  within  a  radius  of  fifty  miles  from  Meeker,  has 

The  been  termed  "The  Sportsman's  Paradise".    Here  big  game 

Sportsman's  abounds  and  here  the  huntsman  can  find  at  the  minimum 
Paradise  r    .  r    ,  ,  r 

expense  of  time  and  money  the  most  attractive  field  for 

the  employment  of  the  gun  and  rod  on  the  continent. 
If   the   excitement   of  the   chase    is   desired,  it   can   be 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


found  on  the  trail  of  the  black,  cinnamon  and  silver-tip 
bear,  or  the  stately  elk  can  be  stalked,  the  agile  deer 
pursued,  the  fleet  antelope  followed.  Should  a  spice  of 
danger  prove  attractive,  it  can  be  found  when  the  hunter 
faces  a  big  mountain  lion. 

As  for  wild  fowl,  they  are  found  in  abundance, 
including  ducks,  geese,  grouse,  ptarmigan  and  sage 
chickens ;  and  the  fisherman  will  discover  that  the  moun- 
tain brooks  swarm  with  the  largest  and  most  gamy  trout. 

To  reach  this  really  remarkable  region,  only  seventy- 
five  miles  of  staging  are  required  from  Wolcott 
station,  or  thirty  to  fifty  miles  from  DeBeque  or  Rifle  on 
the  main  line  of  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  road.  There 
are  mountains  and  valleys  to  be  explored,  and  each 
abounds  with  the  game,  large  and  small,  which  naturally 
seeks  such  favorable  environment.  This  region  has  not 
been  hunted  out,  and,  as  Colorado  protects  game  with 
stringent  and  strongly  enforced  laws,  it  is  safe  to  say  it 
will  not  be  exhausted  for  many  seasons  yet  to 
come. 

It  is  no  more  than  justice  to  say 
that    no    subject    mentioned    in    the 
preceding  pages  has  been  given  any- 
thing   like    an    exhaustive    treatment. 
As    to    the    climate,   statistics    which 
would  fill  a  volume  have  been  gath- 
ered by  scientists  showing  the  advan- 
tages possessed 
by  Colorado  in 
this    regard,    but 
space  has  preven- 
ted more  than  a 


Elk  and  deer 
abound 


reach  it 


Upper  Twin 
Lake 


WITH      NATURE      IN      COLORADO 


passing  mention  here.  And  with  reference  to  the  scenery, 
hundreds  of  marvels  have  been  passed  over  in  silence, 
and  the  same  may  be  said  concerning  the  health-giving 
springs  and  resorts  for  invalids. 

In    what    has    been    said,    a 
desire   to   suggest   some   of 
the  enjoyments  and  benefits 
which  can  be  secured  by  a 
sojourn  with  Nature  in 
Colorado  has  prompt- 
ed  the   saying,  and 
with  the  hope  that 
the  suggestion  has 
been  successful 


Ute  Indian 


in    exciting 

interest  this 

incomplete 

record 

ends. 


THE  DENVER  4  RIO  GRANDE  OPERATES  A 
MOST  SUPERB  DINING  CAR  SERVICE  ON 
ALL  THROUGH  TRAINS.  MEALS  A  LA  CARTE. 


310 


